Systems and methods for covering and lifting animals

ABSTRACT

A cover for animals. The cover comprises a main body, a strap system sewn to main body, and a fastening system arranged to join two edges of the main body. So joined, main body extends around at least a portion of the animal, portions of the animal extend through first and second open ends of the main body, and the strap system extends under the animal with handle portions of the strap system arranged above the animal. Grasping the handle portions of the strap system allows the animal to be lifted with the weight of the animal being carried at least in part by support straps of the strap system.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 09/588,441, filed Jun.6, 2000, now Pat. No. 6,431,123, which was a continuation-in-part ofU.S. Ser. No. 09/209,913 filed on Dec. 11, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No.6,070,557, which claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationSerial No. 60/070,928 filed on Dec. 11, 1997.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for coveringanimals and, in particular, such apparatus and methods that are adaptedto cover animal wounds and/or to facilitate lifting of a sick, wounded,or infirm animal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It has long been recognized that wounds should be protected whilehealing. For example, a bandage is applied to a laceration to physicallysupport the skin at the laceration and to reduce chance of infection.The term “wound” is broadly defined herein to describe any internal(e.g., broken bone) or external (e.g., laceration) injury caused bysickness or intentional (e.g., surgery) or unintentional trauma.Examples of wounds include skin and coat disorders, pre-surgical(operative) care, post-surgical (operative) aftercare, lacerations,abrasions, incisions, skin irritation, broken bones, and the like. Theterm “cover” when used herein as a noun refers to a fabric member thatcovers at least a portion of an animal. In this sense, a cover may form,or may be used in conjunction with, a splint, bandage, stitching,dressing, cast, or other member or material.

The present invention relates to covers that are particularly suited foruse on animals, and that application will be described herein in detail.The present invention may also have application to humans, however, sothe scope of the present invention should be determined by the claimsappended hereto and not the following detailed description.

Conventional covers for animals are simply adaptations of similar coversfor humans. Sterile gauze bandages, white plaster casts, and stitchesdeveloped for humans are all applied to animals.

But the covering of a wound presents unique problems when the wound ison an animal. Initially, the animal cannot be expected to cooperate inthe healing process. One cannot instruct the animal to “stay in bed”during the healing process or to call for help if a cover begins to falloff. To the contrary, an animal may have natural instincts that cause itto act in a manner that is detrimental to the healing process. Forexample, an animal may lick, bite, or scratch a wound following surgery;this licking may harm surgical stitches and increases the likelihood ofinfection. An animal may also scratch at a bandage that causesdiscomfort.

In addition, the physical structure of the animal may not be conduciveto the application of currently available covers. For example, the hindleg of a dog is often configured such that a wrapped bandage or dressingwill tend to slide down when the animal moves around or, if applied tootautly, may inhibit blood circulation. And the simple fact that mostanimals have fur, hair, feather, or scales means that the class ofcovers that employ adhesives is far less effective when applied toanimals, without intrusive measures such as extensive shaving or withoutthe adhesive causing further injury.

Conventional covers not only present physical problems when applied toanimals, but they can also cause psychological problems that are moreintense in animals. A conventional cover may make the animal to whichthe cover is applied feel isolated and vulnerable, especially when withother animals. And other animals often will act aggressively towards theanimal wearing a cover because the wounded animal looks different.

Methods developed specifically for covering wounds on animals includethe device commonly referred to as an “Elizabethan collar”. TheElizabethan collar comprises a thin plastic cone worn with its narrowend about the animal's neck and the wide end extends towards theanimal's face. The Elizabethan collar inhibits the animal's ability tobite or lick its wound but can interfere with the animal's vision,eating, drinking, self grooming, and play.

Another common method of covering animal wounds is to use a tee shirtdesigned for infants or small children. Usually, the two front legs areinserted through the sleeves of the shirt to hold the shirt in place.This method is ineffective in many situations. First, a tee shirt madefor a child does not closely conform to the animal's body. The animalcan easily move the shirt from over the wound and then lick, bite, orscratch the wound. A tee shirt also covers only a portion of theanimal's torso, usually leaving the hind quarters unprotected. And someanimals are simply too small for even the smallest infant's tee shirt.The fabric from which infant's tee shirts are made usually containnatural fibers that cannot withstand the wear and tear of an activeanimal.

Conventional covers used by veterinarians, such as those developed foruse on humans, Elizabethan collars, and infant tee shirts, all havedrawbacks when used on animals, and the need thus exists for improvedcovers for animals.

RELATED ART

A professional patentability search conducted on behalf of the applicantuncovered the following U.S. Patents:

U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,764 to Moy discloses a sheet of material thatextends around an animal's neck to inhibit the animal's ability to biteor lick a wound.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,508 to Engman discloses an animal bandage comprisinga sheet of material adapted to be wrapped around the animal and securedalong two edges with a fastening means such as a hook and loop fastener.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,510,888 to DeAngelis et al. discloses a shield foranimals that is wrapped around an area of the animal to be protected.This device comprises two hinged sections that are secured in a closedposition around the animal and fastened together.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,676 to Colquist discloses a canine jacket having afoam plastic insert that inhibits the animal's ability to bite or lick awound.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,600 to Zielinski discloses a protective body suitfor animals. This suit is substantially tailored for a particular sizeof animal and requires a connecting means such as a zipper, hook andloop fastener, and tie, or the like to maintain the suit on the animal.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,895,628 to Adair discloses a bandage for animals that isinitially configured as a flat sheet and then is wrapped partiallyaround the animal and tied to secure the sheet on the animal.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,141,443 to Huey discloses a protective cover for dogscomprising a flat sheet with leg holes that is fastened around the dogwith fasteners spaced along the back of the dog.

U.S. Pat. No.1,772,827 to Caster-Udell discloses a dog blanket ofelastic material that is tailored for a particular size of animal andemploys a zipper that extends along the back of the animal to allow theblanket to be put on and taken off.

U.S. Pat. No. Des. 368,338 to Levengood discloses an ornamental designfor a protective garment for dogs and cats.

U.S. Pat. No. Des. 312,151 to Dickey discloses an ornamental design fora protective garment for canines.

These devices are all relatively expensive to manufacture and thus areimpractical for use as disposable items on a large scale. The complexityof the devices disclosed in the prior art render them difficult to puton and take off, especially for a non-professional.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a protective covering for animals. The cover ismade of an elastic, breathable material that stretches and then recoversto snugly fit the animal.

In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the coverpreferably comprises a main body in the form of a hollow cylinder havingopen ends in which two or four appendage openings are formed. The covermay further include one or more appendage extensions that are attachedto the main body at the appendage openings such that an appendage, suchas a leg or tail, of the animal is received within the appendageextension. The appendage extension thus covers and protects a wound onthe appendage.

In another exemplary embodiment, the protective cover of the presentinvention is designed to be easily placed onto and removed from theanimal. The present invention may thus also be embodied in a method forcovering a wound on an animal in which the cover is pulled over aportion of the animal, such as the animal's head or tail, and then ontothe portion of the animal to be covered.

In yet another embodiment, the protective cover of the present inventionis provided with straps to allow a sick, wounded, or infirm animal to belifted. In certain animals, age, wounds, or sickness make it difficultfor the animal to stand on its own. The protective cover of the presentinvention can be configured with a seam along the animal's back andstraps that extend under the animal to allow a person to grasp thestraps and lift the animal to its feet. This embodiment has many of theadvantages of the embodiments described above in addition to theadvantage of assisting the animal to stand.

In still another embodiment, the cover of the present inventioncomprises a main body, a strap system, and a fastening system. The mainbody has first and second side edges and defines first and second legholes. The strap system comprises first and second handle straps andfirst, second, and third support straps. The handle straps and thesupport straps are sewn to the main body. The fastening system isarranged to join the first and second side edges of the main body alonga seam such that the body extends around at least a portion of theanimal. Front legs of the animal extend through the first and second legholes. The first and second support straps extend in front and in back,respectively, of the leg holes. The third support strap is arranged tothe rear of the second support strap. The first and second handle strapsare each connected at one end to the first and second support straps andat the other end to the third support strap.

The protective cover of the present invention is comfortable for theanimal, does not interfere with the animal's vision, allows freedom ofmovement to the animal, and.does not require removal for the animal toeat, drink, groom, or play. The protective cover of the presentinvention can be put on and taken off by a non-professional. Thesimplicity of the cover of the present invention also means that it canbe manufactured inexpensively and efficiently in large quantities andmay be disposed of rather than reused.

An important benefit of the present invention is that the elasticity ofthe cover holds the cover snugly against the animal. In contrast toprior art covers that do not snugly fit the animal, the cover of thepresent invention “hugs” the animal in a manner that appears to comfortthe animal. This comforting of the animal can be an important factor inthe animal's tolerance of treatment and eventual recovery.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cat wearing a first embodiment of acover of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of a cat wearing the cover of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view depicting the cover of FIG. 1 when it isnot on the cat;

FIGS. 4A, 4B are perspective views depicting a cover of a secondembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a dog wearing the cover of the firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a dog wearing a cover of a thirdembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a dog wearing a cover of a fourthembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the cover of the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a dog wearing a cover of a fifthembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a dog wearing a cover of a sixthembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a dog wearing a cover of a seventhembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a dog wearing a cover of an eighthembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a dog wearing a cover of a ninthembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a top plan view of the cover of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a cover of a tenth embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a cover of an eleventh embodiment ofthe present invention; and

FIG. 17 is a bottom plan view of the cover of FIG. 16.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention can be embodied in any one of a large number ofvariations. In the following discussion, certain important embodimentsof the present invention will be discussed with the understanding thatthe scope of the present invention may include embodiments notspecifically described herein. In particular, the present invention hasapplication to many types of animals, from birds and reptiles to mammalssuch as dogs and cats. The present invention also has application tomany sizes of animals, and can be manufactured in sizes that fit miceand sizes that fit elephants. But perhaps the most common use of thepresent invention will be on cats and dogs, so those applications of thepresent invention will be discussed herein.

I. First Embodiment

Referring initially to FIG. 1, depicted at 20 therein is an animalwearing a cover 22 constructed in accordance with, and embodying, theprinciples of the present invention. The exemplary animal 20 is a cat.The cat 20 has a torso 24, and the exemplary cover 22 is designed tocover the front quarters 26 of the cat's torso 24. FIG. 2 illustratesthat the cover 22 stays firmly in place on the cat 20 even if the cat 20rolls during normal play.

FIG. 3 illustrates that the cover 22 comprises a main body 28 having anopen front end 30 and an open rear end 32. The main body 28 is generallytubular or cylindrical and is made from a woven or knitted material. Inaddition, first and second leg holes 34 and 36 are formed in the mainbody 28.

First, second, third, and fourth portions 38, 40, 42, and 44 of the mainbody 28 are banded. The first and second banded portions 38 and 40define the front and rear ends 30 and 32, respectively, while the thirdand fourth banded portions define the first and second leg holes 34 and36, respectively.

The term “banding” is used herein to refer to any fabric treatment thatprevents the fabric from which the cover 22 is fabricated from runningor otherwise unraveling after the fabric is cut. The banding may beformed by such methods as sewing, knitting, or coating. In the exemplarycover 22, the banding is formed by sewing a portion of the fabric backupon itself and/or by a special weave or knit integrally formed into thefabric. Another method of forming the banding is to spray or apply ontothe fabric a liquid that dries to form a flexible protective coatingwhere the fabric is to be cut.

The banded portions 38-44 thus inhibit tearing and/or unraveling of thefabric from which the cover 22 is made; these banded portions 38-44 alsohelp maintain the form of the cover 22 and help secure the position ofthe cover 22 on the animal.

The first banded portion 38 is arranged to fit around the cat's neck 46between the cat's head 48 and front shoulders 50. The second bandedportion 40 is arranged to fit around the cat's midsection 52 between thecat's front shoulders 50 and the cat's hind quarters 56. The leg holes34 and 36 are arranged such that the cat's front legs 58 and 60 passthrough these holes 34 and 36. The cover 22 is thus held snugly againstthe cat 20 and covers the cat's entire front quarters 26 during normaluse.

The cover 22 covers a wound (not shown) somewhere on the cat's frontquarters 26. The cat 22 is prevented from directly licking or scratchingthe wound because the wound is protected by the cover 22. Although ananimal could attempt to lick or scratch the wound through the cover 22,experience has shown that this is not likely. The material from whichthe cover 22 is made is not pleasant to lick, and the animal's clawstend to pull on the material, interfering with the scratching motion.

The animal's urge to lick the cover 22 can further be reduced byimpregnating the cover with a flavor that is distasteful to the animal.For example, a bitter apple flavor will dissuade licking by a dog, whilea citrus flavor will dissuade licking by a cat.

The cover 22 may be used by itself to, for example, prevent the cat 20from licking or scratching an irritated portion of the cat's skin.Often, the cover 22 will be used in conjunction with another treatment,such as topically applied medicines, stitches, dressings, bandages,splints, and/or the like, to prevent the animal from licking orscratching the underlying treatment.

In addition, the other treatment can be incorporated into the cover 22.For example, dressings, bandage material, and/or a splint may be sewn into the interior of the cover 22 at a location corresponding to the areato be treated, with the cover 22 holding the dressings or bandagematerial in place over the area to be treated. Or the cover 22 may beimpregnated, either at a specific location or entirely, with a medicinalmaterial such as an anti-microbial agent or the like.

The cover 22 is placed on the cat 20 in much the same way as a humanwould put on a pullover shirt. The cat's head 48 is inserted firstthrough the second opening 32 and then the first opening 30. The cover22 is now bunched up around the cat's neck 46. The second opening 32 isthen pulled further down towards the cat's hind quarters 56 whilefeeding one and then the other of the legs 58 and 60 through the legholes 34 and 36, in no particular order. The cover 22 is thenstraightened out such that the leg holes 34 and 36 are aligned with thelegs 58 and 60 and the main body 28 thereof is not twisted. The cat'sfur is then petted down underneath the cover 22. This process isacceptable to most animals and, with petting and encouragement from thehuman, the animal may come to enjoy the process of putting on the cover22.

With the foregoing understanding of the operation of the basic inventionin mind, the manufacture of the cover 22 will now be discussed.Initially, a hollow cylindrical blank having open ends is provided. Thisblank may be manufactured discretely or be cut from an elongate cylinderof fabric provided in a roll.

The first and second banded portions 38 and 40 may be woven into theblank or may be formed after the blank has been woven by folding back aportion of the blank and sewing the folded portion to the blank. The legholes 34 and 36 are then formed by forming a slit or hole in the blankand forming the banded portions 42 and 44 around the slit or hole bystitching or the like. Again, the banding may be made using a varietyand processes and materials and may provide the fabric with additionalelasticity, but in any event the banding should prevent rolling and/orunraveling of the fabric.

The fabric from which the cover 22 is made is selected based on a numberof criteria. First, the fabric must not be prohibitively expensive. Thecover will normally be used only a few times at most (and washed betweenuses) and then is intended to be discarded. The disposable nature of thecover 22 thus prevents the use of expensive fabrics.

Second, the fabric must stretch and then recover so that the coversnugly fits the animal to be covered. In the context of the presentapplication, “recovery” or “memory” is defined as the amount a fabriccan be stretched along a line and then return to its original shape. Therecovery or memory of a given fabric is determined by the materials andweave employed to make the fabric.

Referring for a moment back to FIG. 3, it can be seen that the cover 22has a longitudinal axis identified by reference characters A-AA and atransverse axis identified by reference characters B-BB. In theexemplary cover 22, the amount of recovery along the longitudinal axisis approximately 20%, and the amount of recovery along the transverseaxis is approximately 100%. More generally, the recovery along thelongitudinal axis should be in a first preferred range of 5% to 30%,while the recovery along the transverse axis should be in a firstpreferred range of at least 100%. In any event, the amount of recoveryalong the longitudinal axis should be in a second preferred range of atleast 5%, and the amount of recovery along the transverse axis should bein a second preferred range at least 80%.

In general, the diameter of the cylindrical fabric blank should besmaller than the smallest portion of the animal to be covered. Thefabric will thus expand to allow the cover to be placed onto the animaland then retract (because of the fabric recovery or memory) to ensure asnug fit over the animal part being covered.

Third, the fabric must be capable of being knit or woven usingconventional knitting or weaving machines and then sewn usingconventional industrial sewing machines. For many animals, the formationof the banded portions 38-44 requires that stitches be formed on verysmall pieces of fabric. The fabric must stay in place on the sewingmachine while the stitches are formed and must not stretch during thesewing process so that the final product is not distorted from thedesired substantially cylindrical shape.

For covers 22 designed to fit smaller animals such as cats and dogs, itis possible, using conventional knitting machines, to knit thecylindrical blank without the use of seams. For larger animals such ashorses, it may be necessary to knit the fabric into a rectangular sheetor sheets and then sew two edges together to form the cylindrical blank.It is also possible that conventional weaving machines can be speciallydesigned to manufacture, without the formation of seams, closedcylinders for large animals. In either case, the larger blank isprocessed the same as a smaller blank, and if a seam is employed, theseam is arranged to be located in an inconspicuous location such asalong the side or back of the animal.

A fourth major characteristic of the fabric from which the cover 22 ismanufactured is that the fabric should be capable of being colored withnatural colors such as gray, brown, tan, white, and/or combinationsthereof. The cover 22 can be selected to match the color of the animalon which the cover 22 is placed. A colored cover may be desirable insome environments and is not as likely to attract attention as a whitecover such as a sterile bandage or white plaster cast.

A fifth important characteristic of the fabric from which the cover 22is made is that the fabric be breathable. In this respect, a woven orknitted fabric allows the fabric to breathe, thereby allowing theperspiration to evaporate and air to flow through the fabric to promotehealing of the wound.

In addition to the more specific characteristics described above, thefabric from which the cover 22 is made should be fast drying,comfortable, tear resistant, and retain its elasticity or memory for itsintended period of use.

Referring for a moment to FIG. 5, that figure depicts the cover 22 beingworn by a dog 20 a. It should be clear that the basic design principlesillustrated in FIGS. 1-3 and 5 may thus be applied to other animals inaddition to cats and dogs.

II. Second Embodiment

Referring now to FIGS. 4A and 4B, depicted therein is a cover 22 a of asecond embodiment of the present invention. The cover 22 a isconstructed in substantially the same manner as the cover 22 describedabove, but: (a) is designed to cover the dog 20 a; and (b) is designedto cover a portion of the dog's legs 58 a and 60 a in addition to thedog's front quarters 26 a.

Accordingly, in addition to a main body 28 a, the cover 22 a comprisesfirst and second leg extensions 62 and 64 sewn to the main body 28 a atthe leg holes 34 a and 36 a. The leg extensions 62 and 64 are simplysmaller (smaller diameter, shorter length) cylindrical pieces of thesame material used to form the main body 28 a, as described above withreference to the main body 28 of the cover 22. When the dog's legs 58 aand 60 a pass through the leg holes 34 a and 36 a, most of the dog'slegs 58 a and 60 a are received within the leg extensions 62 and 64,with the dog's paws 66 and 68 exposed.

As with the main body 28 a, the leg extensions 62 and 64 comprise bandedportions 70 and 72 at their ends distal from the main body 28 a. Theother ends of the leg extensions 62 and 64 are sewn to the main body 28a.

The cover 22 a will thus not only cover the dog's front quarters 26a,but a substantial portion of the dog's legs 58 a and 60 a are alsocovered. The cover 22 a would be used in situations where a wound (notshown) is located on one or both of the dog's legs 58 a and 60 a. Inthis case, the main body 28 a primarily functions to engage the dog'storso 24 a to anchor the leg extensions 62 and 64 in place.

III. Third Embodiment

Referring now to FIG. 6, depicted therein at 22 b is a third embodimentof a cover of the present invention. The cover 22 b is depicted on thedog 20 a but can be applied to the cat 20 described above.

The cover 20 b constructed in the same basic manner as and is similar inshape to the cover 20 described above. Except that rather than coveringthe dog's front quarters 26 a, the cover 20 b covers the dog's hindquarters 56 a.

In particular, the cover 22 b is simply reversed on the dog 20 a suchthat the first opening 30b thereof is at a rear 74 of the dog 20 a andthe second opening 32 b thereof is at the middle of the dog's torso 24a. In this context, the first banded portion 38 b is arranged to fitaround the dog's tail 76. The second banded portion 40 b is arranged tofit around the dog's midsection 52 a between the dog's front shoulders50 a and the dog's hind quarters 56 a. The leg holes 34 b and 36 b arearranged such that the dog's hind legs 78 and 80 pass through theseholes 34 b and 36 b. The cover 22 b is thus held snugly against the dog20a and covers the dog's entire hind quarters 56 a during normal use.

A common use of the cover 22 b is to protect a dog or cat that has beenspayed or neutered. The cover 22 b covers the location of the stitchesfrom these operations and prevents the dog or cat from licking thesestitches as generally described above.

For animals trained to defecate and urinate at regular times, the cover22 b may be removed prior to and replaced after the scheduled time. Forother animals, this may not be possible, and at least a portion of theanimal's hind quarters must be left uncovered to allow for normaldefecation and urination. Defecation is accomplished through the opening30 for both males and females. Females will be able to urinate throughthe opening 30, while males will require a separate opening forurination as will be described in further detail below. In any case, theshape of the cover 22 b may be altered or contoured to facilitate theelimination of waste.

The cover 22 b may be placed on the animal starting at either end. Inparticular, the process described above with reference to the cover 22may be used with the cover 22 b, but the process would be started fromthe rear end (tail) rather than front end (head) of the animal.

It may be more convenient, however, to start from the front end with thebanded portion 40 b facing front and the cover 22 b in a narrow hoop.The animal's entire front quarters is placed through this hoop such thatthe cover 22 b is arranged on the animal's midsection. The bandedportion 38 b is then pulled rearward while feeding first one and thenthe other of the animal's hind legs 78 and 80 through the holes 34 b and36 b, in no particular order.

IV. Fourth Embodiment

Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, depicted therein at 22 c is a fourthembodiment of a cover constructed in accordance with, and embodying, theprinciples of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, the cover 22 ccovers both the front and hind quarters 26 a and 56 a of the dog 20 a.

Accordingly, the cover 22 c is longer and comprises, in addition tofirst and second leg holes 34 c and 36 c, third and fourth leg holes 82and 84. The front legs 58 a and 60 a extend through the first and secondholes 34 c and 36 c, while the hind legs 78 and 80 extend through theleg holes 82 and 84.

A fifth hole 85 is preferably formed in the main body 22 c to allow maleanimals to urinate. This hole 85 is formed slightly forward of the rearholes 82 and 84 and between these holes 82 and 84 when arranged along acircumference line.

The cover 22 c is preferably placed on the animal starting at the front.The cover 22 c may initially be gathered into a hoop and placed over theanimal's head such that the head passes through both the first opening30 c and the second opening 32 c. The first banded portion 38 c is thenleft at the neck and the remaining portion of the cover 22 c is drawnback to the animal's mid section while at the same time passing thefront legs 58 a and 60 a through the first and second holes 34 c and 36c. The second banded portion 40 c is then drawn back such that theanimal's tail extends through the second opening 32 c and the secondbanded portion 40 c is at the animal's rear. At the same time, theanimal's hind legs are inserted through the third and fourth openings 80and 82. The cover 22 c is then straightened to ensure that is nottwisted on the animal.

V. Fifth Embodiment

Referring now to FIG. 9, depicted therein at 22 d is a fifth embodimentof a cover of the present invention. The cover 22 d is the same as thecover 22 c just described except that the cover 22 d further comprises atail extension 86 adapted to cover the dog's tail 76. The purpose of thetail extension 86 is to cover a wound on the tail 76. The tail extension76 may be used with the cover 22 b of the third embodiment describedabove as well.

The tail extension 86 is formed in a manner similar to that of the legextensions 62 and 64 described above but is formed from a smallerdiameter blank and is sewn to the main body 28 d immediately adjacent tothe second opening 32 d.

To place the tail extension 86 on the tail, the tail extension 86 isgathered into a hoop, passed over the end of the tail, and arrangedadjacent to the animal's rear. A distal end of the tail extension isthen drawn back so that the entire tail is covered.

VI. Sixth Embodiment

Referring now to FIG. 10, depicted therein at 22 e is a sixth embodimentof a cover constructed in accordance with, and embodying, the principlesof the present invention. The cover 22 e is similar to the cover 22 cdescribed above but comprises a single leg extension 88. Like the legextensions 62 and 64, the leg extension 88 is sewn to the main body 28 eof the cover 22 e. The leg extension 88 is sewn around the third leghole 82 e and covers most of the animal's right hind leg 78.

VII. Seventh Embodiment

Referring now to FIG. 11, depicted therein at 22 f is a sixth embodimentof a cover constructed in accordance with, and embodying, the principlesof the present invention. The cover 22 f is similar to the cover 22 bdescribed above but in addition comprises first and second legextensions 90 and 92. The cover 22 f is also unique in that the legextensions 90 and 92 are closed at their lower end such that hind paws94 and 96 of the animal are closed. Optionally, the lower ends of theleg extensions 90 and 92 may be dipped in liquid rubber as shown at 98and 100 to form booties that protect the paws 94 and 96.

Like the leg extensions 62 and 64 described above, the leg extensions 90and 92 are sewn to the main body 28 f of the cover 22 f. The first legextension 88 is sewn around the third leg hole 82 f and covers theanimal's right hind leg. The second leg extension 88 is sewn around thefourth leg hole (not visible in FIG. 11) and covers the animals lefthind leg.

VIII. Eighth Embodiment

Referring now to FIG. 12, depicted at 120 therein is yet anotherexemplary cover of the present invention. The cover 120 is designed tocover only a right hind leg 122 of the animal 124. The cover 120comprises a banded portion 126 at its upper end and a closed lower endat which a bootie 128 is formed with liquid rubber. The use of a closedlower end and bootie 128 thereon is optional, however, and a cover withan open, banded lower end would serve much the same purpose as the cover120.

The banded portion 126 will secure the upper end of the cover 120 to theanimal, while the bootie 128 (or optional banding) will secure the lowerend to the animal. The cover 120 will be slightly less secure thancovers that at least partially surround the animal's torso, but thecover 120 will be less intrusive and easier to put on and take off.

The cover 120 is manufactured of the same materials and in a similarmanner to the covers described above. In particular, the cover 120starts out as a cylindrical blank with two open ends. The upper end isbanded and the lower end is closed and dipped in liquid rubber or leftopen and banded.

IX. Ninth Embodiment

Referring now to FIGS. 13 and 14, depicted at 220 therein is yet anotherprotective cover constructed in accordance with, and embodying, theprinciples of the present invention. The cover 220 comprises a sheet ofmaterial 222, a strap member 224, and a fastening system 226. The cover220 is shown around an exemplary animal 228, which in this case is adog.

The material from which the sheet 222 is fabricated is preferably thesame as that used by the other embodiments of the invention as describedherein, but other materials may be used. The sheet 222 itself is cut todefine a main portion 230 and a neck portion 232. The main portion 230is generally in the shape of a rectangle and defines a rear edge 234 andfirst and second main side edges 236 and 238. The neck portion 232defines a front edge 240 and first and second neck side edges 242 and244. The neck side edges 242 and 244 are curved to reduce the overallwidth of the sheet 222 from the main portion 230 to the front edge 240.The sheet 222 defines an inner surface 246 that engages the animal beingprotected and an outer surface 248.

First and second leg holes 250 and 252 are formed in the main portion230 of the sheet 222 adjacent to the neck portion 232. The distancebetween the leg holes 250 and 252 should be approximately the same asthe distance between the front legs of the animal to be assisted by thecover 220. In the exemplary embodiment 220, the leg holes 250 and 252are spaced approximately the same distance from each other as they arefrom the adjacent main side edges 236 and 238.

The strap member 224 is arranged in an elongate closed loop to definefirst and second side portions 260 and 262 and front and back portions264 and 266. The front strap portion 264 is sewn to the outer surface248 of the sheet 222 at first and second locations 270 and 272immediately to the rear of the leg holes 250 and 252. The rear strapportion 266 is sewn to the sheet outer surface 248 at first and secondlocations 274 and 276 spaced towards the rear edge 234 from thelocations 270 and 272. The front and back portions 264 and 266 are sewnto the sheet 222 such that the first and second side strap portions 260and 262 extend substantially symmetrically to either side of the sheetside edges 236 and 238 although other arrangements are possible.

The fastening system 226 is formed by a hook and loop fastener having ahook portion 280 and a loop portion 282. The hook portion 280 and loopportion 282 are elongate rectangles that are sewn along the first sideedge 236 and second side edge 238 of the sheet 222, respectively. In theexemplary cover 220, hook portion 280 is sewn to the inner sheet surface246, and the loop portion 282 is sewn to the outer sheet surface 248.The relative positions of the hook and loop portions 280 and 282 can bechanged without affecting the operation of the cover 220. In addition,while a hook and loop fasteners is preferred, other fastening systems,such as buttons, zippers, snap fasteners, and the like may be usedinstead.

In use, the animal's left and right front legs 290 and 292 are placedthrough the first and second leg holes 250 and 252. The sheet 222 isthen folded around the animal such that the front and back strapportions 264 and 266 extend under the animal's midsection 294. The sheet222 is sized relative to the animal 228 such that the sheet side edges236 and 238 overlap just enough for the hook portion 280 to engage theloop portion 282 and form a seam 296 the extends along the top of theanimal's midsection 294. The neck portion 232 is arranged under andsupports the animal's neck 298.

The side portions 260 and 262 of the strap 226 may be grasped togetherabove the animal's midsection 294 and the seam 296. Because the frontand back portions 264 and 266 of the strap 226 extend under the animal'smidsection 294, lifting the side strap portions 260 and 262 lifts themidsection 294. At the same time, the animal's neck 298 is supported bythe neck portion 232 of the cover 220. The animal 228 may simply belifted to a standing position, or may be carried or lifted up to ahigher surface such as an examination table or the like.

The strap member 224 bears most of the weight of the animal 228, whilethe sheet 222 spaces the front and rear strap portions 264 and 266 suchthat the weight of the animal 228 is evenly distributed to the strapmember 224 such that the animal 228 is balanced when supported by thecover 220.

X. Tenth Embodiment

Referring now to FIG. 15, depicted therein is yet another exemplarycover 320 embodying the principles of the present invention. Theexemplary cover 320 is generally similar to the embodiment describedabove with respect to FIG. 4A. In particular, the cover 320 comprises amain portion 322 and first and second leg portions 324 and 326. The mainportion 322 is adapted to cover the body of an animal, while theanimal's legs extend through the leg portions 324 and 326.

The exemplary main portion 322 comprises a back portion 330, a shoulderportion 332, and a neck portion 334. The back portion 330 is generallycylindrical and is sized and dimensioned to snugly receive the animal'smidsection. The shoulder portion 332 is sized and dimensioned to fit theanimal's shoulders. The neck portion 334 is sized and dimensioned to fitthe animal's neck.

In particular, the diameter of the neck portion 334 is reduced relativeto the diameter of the back portion 330. This reduction in diameterbegins at the shoulder portion 332 and ends at a neck opening 336defined by the neck portion 334.

The diameter reduction described above may be formed by starting asubstantially cylindrical blank, forming a V-shaped notch adjacent tothe neck opening 336, and sewing the notch edges together.Alternatively, this diameter reduction may be formed by starting with agenerally rectangular blank, cutting off two corners of the rectangle,and forming a seam by sewing two opposite edges and cut edges of theblank together. Such a seam is shown at 338 in FIG. 15, but the use of aseam is not necessary to obtain the shape depicted in FIG. 15 and/or toimplement the principles of the present invention.

Xl. Eleventh Embodiment

Referring now to FIGS. 16 and 17, depicted therein is a yet anotherexemplary cover 420 embodying the principles of the present invention.The exemplary cover 420 is generally similar to the embodiment describedabove with respect to FIGS. 13 and 14. In particular, the cover 420comprises a sheet of material 422, a strap system 424, and a fasteningsystem 426. The cover 420 is adapted to cover an animal such as a dogand, in particular, larger dogs.

The material from which the sheet 422 is fabricated is preferably thesame as that used by the other embodiments of the invention as describedherein, but other materials may be used. The sheet 422 itself is cut todefine a main portion 430 and a neck portion 432. The main portion 430is generally in the shape of a rectangle and defines a rear edge 434 andfirst and second main side edges 436 and 438. The neck portion 432defines a front edge 440 and first and second neck side edges 442 and444. The neck side edges 442 and 444 are sewn together to form a seam446. The neck side edges 442 and 444 are angled, curved, or otherwisecontoured to reduce the diameter of the cover 420 from the main portion430 to the front edge 440. The sheet 422 defines an inner surface 448 athat engages the animal being covered and an outer surface 448 b.

First and second leg holes 450 and 452 are formed in the main portion430 of the sheet 422 adjacent to the neck portion 432. The distancebetween the leg holes 450 and 452 should be approximately the same asthe distance between the front legs of the animal to be assisted by thecover 420. In the exemplary embodiment 420, the leg holes 450 and 452are spaced approximately the same distance from each other as they arefrom the adjacent main side edges 436 and 438.

The strap system 424 comprises first, second, third, and fourth handlestraps 460 a,b,c,d, front and rear chest straps 462 a,b, a bracingsupport strap 464, and front and rear stomach straps 466 a,b. The cheststraps 462 a and 462 b are sewn to the sheet 422 such that they extendin front and to the rear of the leg holes 450 and 454, respectively. Thechest straps 462 a,b extend along curved paths around the leg holes 450and 454 such that they join together at first and second connectionlocations 470 a and 470 b. The bracing support strap 464 extends betweenthe chest straps 462 a,b between the leg holes 450 and 454.

The front and rear stomach straps 466 a,b are sewn to the sheet 422 withthe front strap 466 a adjacent to the rear chest strap 462 b and therear stomach strap 466 b between the front stomach strap 466 a and thesheet rear edge 434. In the exemplary cover 420, the front and rearstomach straps 466 a,b extend substantially parallel to each otheracross the sheet 422. The front stomach strap 466 a thus terminates atthird and fourth connection locations 472 a and 472 b, while the rearstomach strap 466 b terminates at fifth and sixth connection locations474 a and 474 b.

The handle straps 460 are secured to the sheet 422 such that each handlestrap 460 forms a loop. In particular, the ends of the first handlestrap 460 a are connected to the first and third attachment locations470 a and 472 a. The ends of the second handle strap 460 b are connectedto the third and fifth attachment locations 472 a and 474 a. The ends ofthe third handle strap 460 c are connected to the second and fourthattachment locations 470 b and 472 b. The ends of the fourth handlestrap 460 d are connected to the fourth and sixth attachment locations472 b and 474 b. The loops formed by the handle straps 460 can begrasped to lift the cover 420, and any animal therein, as best shown inFIG. 15.

The straps that form the strap system 424 are made of flexible materialthat is relatively inelastic, especially as compared with the materialfrom which the sheet 422 is made. The sheet 422 can thus be madeslightly undersized for the intended animal and allowed to expand to fitsnugly against the animal; the loads are carried by the strap system424. As will be described in further detail below, the strap system 424is designed to applying these lifting loads substantially uniformlyalong the underside of the animal.

The fastening system 426 is formed by a hook and loop fastener having ahook portion 480 and a loop portion 482. The hook portion 480 and loopportion 482 are elongate rectangles that are sewn along the first sideedge 436 and second side edge 438 of the sheet 422, respectively. In theexemplary cover 420, the hook portion 480 is sewn to the inner sheetsurface 448 a, and the loop portion 482 is sewn to the outer sheetsurface 448 b. The relative positions of the hook and loop portions 480and 482 can be changed without affecting the operation of the cover 420.In addition, while a hook and loop fasteners is preferred, otherfastening systems, such as buttons, zippers, snap fasteners, and thelike may be used instead.

In use, the fastening system 426 is opened and the sheet is bundled upinto a collar shape that is placed over the animal's head and onto theanimal's shoulders in front of the animal's front legs. The animal'sfront legs are then passed through the first and second leg holes 450and 452. The sheet 222 is then drawn back around the animal such thatthe stomach straps 466 a and 466 b extend under the animal's midsection.The sheet 422 is sized relative to the animal such that the sheet sideedges 436 and 438 overlap just enough for the hook portion 480 to engagethe loop portion 482 and form a seam 490 the extends along a portion ofthe animal's back. The neck portion 232 is arranged under and supportsthe animal's neck.

The handle straps 460 of the strap system 426 are grasped above theanimal's midsection to applying a lifting force to the animal. Inparticular, the handle straps 460 are sewn together with the cheststraps 462 and stomach straps 466 at the attachment locations 470, 472,and 474 as described above. In addition, the ends of the bracing supportstrap 464 are sewn to the chest straps 462. Applying a lifting force tothe handle straps 460 results in these forces being relatively evenlydistributed along a substantial portion of the underside of the animal.This even distribution of lifting forces is important to any size animalbut is very important for larger animals. For an animal weighing 30pounds or more, the lifting forces could be painful if not evenly andpredictably distributed along the animal's underside.

The animal wearing the cover 420 may simply be lifted to a standingposition, may be carried or lifted up to a higher surface such as anexamination table or the like, or may even be assisted while walking.Assistance in standing or walking is especially important for olderanimals.

The strap system 424 described above is preferred but other strapsystems may be used within the scope of the present invention. Forexample, for smaller animals, the third and fourth handle straps, therear stomach strap, and the bracing support strap may be omitted. Inanother example, rather than be connected to attachment locations on thesame side of the animal, the handle straps may cross over to theopposite side of the animal. One of ordinary skill in the art willrecognize that other modifications may be made to the cover 420 asdescribed herein and yet remain within the scope of the presentinvention.

XII. Materials

The general properties of the fabric from which the cover the presentinvention will be manufactured were discussed above. In this section,the preferred fabrics used to create a cover according to the teachingsof the present invention will be described in detail.

The fabric from which the exemplary covers discussed above are made ispreferably a knitted material comprised of the materials set forth inthe following Table A:

TABLE A First Second Material Preferred Preferred Range Preferred RangeElastic 40% 20-80% 20-100% material Breathable 60% 20-80% 0-80% material

The elastic material preferably is a fiber comprising a natural rubberor a synthetic rubber core to which is bonded a material such as nylon,cotton, and/or polyester. Commonly available elastic materials areLycra, Spandex, or equivalents thereof. These elastic fibers areimportant to the amount of memory or recovery of the fabric.

The preferred elastic materials are breathable, and the cover may bemade entirely from these elastic materials. But these materials are alsoexpensive, so the breathable material is preferably knitted with theelastic material. The breathable material is a blend of a polymericsynthetic material such as polyester, nylon, or the like and a naturalmaterial such as cotton, wool, or the like. The breathable material willnormally be less expensive than the elastic material and should allowair and vapor to pass through the fabric.

The elastic material and breathable material are preferably knittedtogether to form an acceptable fabric. Knitting of these materials ispreferable because knitting forms connected loops that enhance thememory or recovery of the fabric. A woven fabric may also be used butwould likely require a higher percentage of elastic material to obtainthe required memory or recovery.

XIII. Manufacturing and Use Considerations

From the foregoing, it should be clear that the covers of the presentinvention can be embodied in a large number of different forms dependingupon the size of the animal and the nature of the wound. Formanufacturing and inventory considerations, however, it may be desirableto employ one design that is implemented in a limited variety ofdifferent sizes and colors. The veterinarian or other person applyingthe cover can then modify the cover on site to fit the needs of aparticular animal.

For example, it may be desirable to manufacture at least one basicdesign comprising a main body and four leg extensions. In this case, themiddle of the main body and the junctures of the leg extensions arepreferably banded on either side of a cut line so that the veterinariancan cut the basic design at the cut line or lines to form one of themore specialized designs described above. The banded portions.on eitherside of the cut line will prevent unraveling of the fabric where thecuts are made.

It may also be desirable to provide the veterinarian with a cylindricalblank in which leg holes have not been cut. In this case, a liquidbanding material may be applied in a circular or oval shape at theapproximate locations where the leg holes should be formed. Theveterinarian will then form cut the fabric within the banded region tofit the individual animal. The banded region will prevent unraveling ofthe fabric at the cut.

An animal that has been spayed may require only the configurationdescribed with reference to FIG. 6, in which case the main body portionwill be cut and the front portion discarded. The two hind leg extensionsmay also be cut and discarded.

An active animal with a stitched left hind leg may require the removalof all of the leg extensions except for the one required to cover thestitches, as is shown in FIG. 10. The main body portion would be leftintact to insure that the wound stays covered even if the animal engagesin rough play or the like.

In practice, the veterinarian may “prescribe” the number of coversprovided and the intervals at which they are to be changed. For example,if a veterinarian determines that the wound should be protected for sixdays, the veterinarian may send the animal home wearing one cover andwith two extra covers. The animal's owner would change the cover on thesecond and fourth days and then remove the last cover on the sixth day.

From the foregoing, it should be clear that the present invention may beembodied in forms other than those discussed above; the scope of thepresent invention should be determined by the following claims and notthe detailed discussion presented above.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cover for an animal, comprising: a main bodyhaving first and second side edges and defining first and second legholes; a strap system comprising first and second handle straps andfirst, second, and third support straps, where the handle straps and thesupport straps are sewn to the main body; and a fastening systemarranged to join the first and second side edges of the main body alonga seam such that the body extends around at least a portion of theanimal; wherein front legs of the animal extend through the first andsecond leg holes; the first and second support straps extend in frontand in back, respectively, of the leg holes; the third support strap isarranged to the rear of the second support strap; and the first andsecond handle straps are each connected at one end to the first andsecond support straps and at the other end to the third support strap.2. A cover as recited in claim 1, in which the strap system furthercomprises: third and fourth handle straps; and a fourth support strap,where the third and fourth handle straps are each connected at one endto the third support strap and at another end to the fourth supportstrap.
 3. A cover as recited in claim 2, in which the strap systemfurther comprises a fifth support strap that extends between the firstand second leg holes.
 4. A cover as recited in claim 3, in which thefifth support strap is connected to the first and second support straps.5. A cover as recited in claim 3, in which the fastening system allowsthe first and second side edges to be selectively detached along atleast a portion of the seam.
 6. A cover as recited in claim 2, in whichthe fastening system allows the first and second side edges to beselectively detached along at least a portion of the seam.
 7. A cover asrecited in claim 1, in which the strap system further comprises a fifthsupport strap that extends between the first and second leg holes.
 8. Acover as recited in claim 7, in which the fifth support strap isconnected to the first and second support straps.
 9. A cover as recitedin claim 7, in which the fastening system allows the first and secondside edges to be selectively detached along at least a portion of theseam.
 10. A cover as recited in claim 1, in which the fastening systemallows the first and second side edges to be selectively detached alongat least a portion of the seam.
 11. A method of covering an animal,comprising the steps of: providing a main body having first and secondside edges; forming first and second leg holes in the main body; forminga strap system by sewing first and second handle straps and first,second, and third support straps to the main body; and joining the firstand second side edges of the main body along a seam such that the bodyextends around at least a portion of the animal; extending front legs ofthe animal through the first and second leg holes; arranging the firstand second support straps in front and in back, respectively, of the legholes; arranging the third support strap to the rear of the secondsupport strap; and connecting each of the first and second handle strapsat one end to the first and second support straps and at the other endto the third support strap.
 12. A method as recited in claim 11, inwhich the step of providing the strap system further comprises the stepsof: sewing a fourth support strap to the main body; and connecting thirdand fourth handle straps at one end to the third support strap and atanother end to the fourth support strap.
 13. A method as recited inclaim 12, in which the step of providing the strap system furthercomprises the step of arranging a fifth support strap between the firstand second leg holes.
 14. A method as recited in claim 13, furthercomprising the step of connecting the fifth support strap to the firstand second support straps.
 15. A method as recited in claim, in whichthe step of providing the strap system further comprises the step ofselectively detaching the first and second side edges along at least aportion of the seam before the step of extending front legs of theanimal through the first and second leg holes.
 16. A method as recitedin claim 12, in which the step of providing the strap system furthercomprises the step of selectively detaching the first and second sideedges along at least a portion of the seam before the step of extendingfront legs of the animal through the first and second leg holes.
 17. Amethod as recited in claim 11, in which the step of providing the strapsystem further comprises the step of arranging a fifth support strapbetween the first and second leg holes.
 18. A method as recited in claim17, further comprising the step of connecting the fifth support strap tothe first and second support straps.
 19. A method as recited in claim17, in which the step of providing the strap system further comprisesthe step of selectively detaching the first and second side edges alongat least a portion of the seam before the step of extending front legsof the animal through the first and second leg holes.
 20. A method asrecited in claim 11, in which the step of providing the strap systemfurther comprises the step of selectively detaching the first and secondside edges along at least a portion of the seam before the step ofextending front legs of the animal through the first and second legholes.